Clarity has been generally considered one of the prime requirements in prior art commercial syrups or sweeteners such as corn syrup, maple syrup, and sorghum syrup. In the normal preparation of syrup from grain, for example, corn syrup from corn grain, the starch component is first separated from the grain. This initial separation or removal of fat, protein, cellulose, color and flavor bodies from the grain prevents those components from interfering with or inhibiting preparation of the syrup.
In the separation of starch from the corn grain, sulfur dioxide is commonly used which to some degree remains in the starch and finds its way into the final syrup as an undesirable constituent.
More particularly, many of the above mentioned constituents interfere with starch dextrinizing or liquefaction and saccharification action. The above mentioned difficulties are such that most commercial syrups are made from a recovered or separated starch component of the grain. The liquefaction and saccharification reactions are usually carried out over extended periods of time, for example, six to twenty-four hours or longer.
Recently, increased commercial interest has developed in nutritional syrups which, in addition to sweetness from sugars such as maltose and glucose, also include nutritional factors such as protein, minerals and complex carbohydrates which are usually removed in normal syrup production.
However, with grain products of the type referred to above, many people have demonstrated allergic reactions particularly to cereal grains such as corn and wheat as well as products derived from those grains.
Accordingly, there has been found a need for a low allergenic syrup or sweetener which can be used in place of sweeteners of the type described above. At the same time, there is a need or a commercial market for such syrups or sweeteners which retain a relatively high level of nutritional factors while also containing acceptable levels of sugars such as maltose and glucose to achieve a suitable sweetening effect.
Another invention set forth in a copending application, Ser. No. 856,300 filed Apr. 24, 1986, entitled NUTRITIONAL RICE MILK PRODUCT AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION, and assigned to California Natural Products is related to the present invention and is accordingly incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in its entirety. The above noted reference involves rice milk or modified amazake products which are formed by generally the same steps employed for the rice syrup sweetener product of the present invention. However, as a final step, the rice syrup sweeteners of this invention are partially clarified, preferably by sieving and centrifuging in order to remove substantially all rice fiber. That reference is accordingly incorporated herein to the extent that it may be of assistance in disclosing and facilitating a further understanding of the present invention.